Shakespeare spoof ‘Enter Macbeth’ comes to Dubai

“When shall we three meet again; in thunder, lightning or in rain?” asks one of the witches of Macbeth, and the crew members that have gone from stage-to-stage playing them.

The troupe — as we shall call the central characters of the spoof Enter Macbeth from this point on — have been used to performing Shakespeare’s great acts with aplomb.

What they are not used to is having one of their own disappear before a performance. That’s the situation they find themselves in as they ready for a Hamlet staging. But the show must go on…

At least, that’s the plot of the meta Shakespeare parody Enter Macbeth, which runs at the Junction from November 1-3. On stage, troupe members — some more rebellious than others — must be recruited from different scripts, such as Macbeth, The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, from the Bard’s First Folio, in a desperate attempt to keep the show going. Cue more hijinx.

Considering there are planned acrobatics and slow-mo sequences, expect one thing from the production: a giggle fest. That’s exactly what playwright Ruth Buchanan wanted.

“From the start, I knew I wanted to write a Hamlet/Macbeth comedy mashup, but I hadn’t fleshed out the entire concept before sitting down at the keyboard. As soon as I typed the stage direction [Enter Macbeth], however, things really kicked off,” she says, in a written interview with Gulf News tabloid!.

Her first draft only took a week to write. Those involved in the staging of the play have gone with that quick momentum. Meghana Mundkur, the director of this iteration, says the short duration that the real-life group (from Tall Tale Productions) had to sort out the sequences was one of the most challenging things about the production. But she expects it to pay off.

“It’s worked in a way that at least the comedy remains fresh and spontaneous,” she explains.

Producer Asad Raza Khan also believes it will appeal to fans of several genres.

“It is the first production that I am doing which is a farce (and a spoof) of an author I believe is the best the world has ever seen — Shakespeare. Ruth has made this production so relevant, and yet has held the essence of the original textures. This will appeal to the lovers of comedy, horror, entertainment, as well as the lovers of the Bard. As we say, a true spook-and-spoof experience,” he says.

The show in the UAE has been nipped and tucked to suit the local audience. “We’ve adapted a few things, for sure. But that’s all I’m revealing for now. Come watch the show for more,” says Mundkur.

One thing’s a given: the behind-the-scenes mess and madness of putting together a performance will be stripped bare for all to see. And in doing so, Buchanan decides to tell the raw truth through a comedic lens.

“Life is hard and sometimes brutal. You need friends to have your back and crack jokes when things get rough,” says Buchanan, peppering her end notes with a punchline. “And possibly ones who can sword fight because that is always a plus.”

The play’s running fast on the heels of Halloween. Will it be a trick or will it be a treat?

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Don’t miss it!

Tickets to see Enter Macbeth at the Junction from November 1-3 start at Dh80; and a part of the proceeds will be donated to SNF and Dubai Autism Center.

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